Hello, friends! I'm so excited to share with you my insights on John Chapter 17. This is one of the most powerful and profound chapters in the Bible, where Jesus prays for himself, his disciples, and all believers. Let's dive in and explore the meaning and implications of this amazing prayer starting with glorification and what it means.
What is the biblical definition of glorification?
Glorification is the final stage of salvation, in which God transforms believers into the likeness of His Son, Jesus Christ. According to the Bible, glorification is a work of God that He will complete when Christ returns (Philippians 3:20-21; Colossians 3:4). Glorification is based on the grace of God and the merit of Christ, not on human effort or achievement (Romans 8:30; 1 Corinthians 2:7). Glorification is the ultimate goal of God's redemptive plan, in which He will display His glory in and through His people for all eternity (Romans 5:2; 2 Thessalonians 2:14; 1 Peter 5:10).
If you have ever read the Gospel of John, you might have noticed that the last chapter before Jesus' arrest and crucifixion is a long prayer that he offers to His Father. This prayer is often called the High Priestly Prayer, because Jesus intercedes for His disciples and for all who will believe in Him through their word.
In this prayer, Jesus talks a lot about glorification. But what does He mean by that? And what does it have to do with us?
Glorification is the final stage of God's plan to save his people from sin and death. It is the ultimate goal of our salvation, when we will be fully conformed to the image of Christ and share in His glory. In Romans 8:30, Paul writes that those whom God predestined, He also called; those whom He called, He also justified; and those whom He justified, He also glorified. Glorification is the end result of God's grace in our lives.
But how does Jesus pray about glorification in John 17? He prays for three things: his own glorification, his disciples' glorification, and the future believers' glorification. Let's look at each one briefly.
First, Jesus prays for his own glorification.
He says in verse 1, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you." Jesus knows that His hour of suffering and death is near, but He also knows that it is the way to His exaltation and victory. He asks his Father to glorify Him through the cross and the resurrection, so that he may glorify His Father by accomplishing his will and revealing His love. Jesus' glorification is not only for His own sake, but for the sake of His Father and His disciples and followers.
Second, Jesus prays for his disciples' glorification.
He says in verse 10, "All mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them." Jesus considers his disciples as his own, given to Him by his Father. He loves them as His own, the way a parent loves their children, and he wants them to share in His glory. He says in verse 22, "The glory that You have given me I have given to them." Jesus gives his disciples the same glory that He received from His Father, which is the glory of being one with God in love and purpose. Jesus' glorification is not only for Himself and His Father, but also for his disciples.
Third, Jesus prays for the future believers' glorification.
He says in verse 20-21, "I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that You have sent Me." Jesus extends His prayer beyond His immediate followers to include all who will come to faith in Him through their witness. He prays that they may all be united with God and with each other in the same way that He is united with his Father. He prays that they may all see and enjoy His glory, which he says in verse 24 is the same as the Father's love for Him before the foundation of the world. Jesus' glorification is not only for Himself, God the Father, and the disciples, but also for all who will believe in Him.
So what does John Chapter 17 tell us about glorification?
It tells us that glorification is God's ultimate purpose for us: to share in His glory and love through Christ. It tells us that glorification is a gift of grace that we receive from God through faith in Christ. It tells us that glorification is a process that begins now and will be completed when Christ returns. And it tells us that glorification is a community project that involves all who belong to Christ.
If you want to learn more about glorification and how it affects your life today, I recommend you read John Chapter 17 for yourself and meditate on Jesus' words.
I hope this blog post has been helpful and inspiring for you. Tomorrow, we will continue with John 17 Day 2- Revelation
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